Wales' Hearts Need More

We cannot let Wales fall behind on heart health

More than 400,000 people in Wales are currently living with cardiovascular disease, causing around 25 deaths each day. Over the past 60 years, there has been huge progress in tackling cardiovascular disease in Wales. However, progress has stalled since the mid-2010s and we need to take urgent action.

The under-75 death rate from cardiovascular disease is still higher than before the pandemic, and in 2024, it was 17% higher in Wales than in England. In Wales, the survival rate for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests is just 1 in 20, compared to 1 in 10 in England and Scotland.

BHF Cymru’s call to action: reducing premature CVD mortality by 25% by 2035

BHF Cymru is calling on all political parties to include a clear commitment in their manifesto to reduce premature deaths (deaths amongst those aged 75 and under) from cardiovascular disease by 25% over the next decade - bringing Wales in line with the UK Government target and BHF ambition. BHF analysis of 2022-2024 data estimates that this would save between 700 and 800 lives in 2035.

We have developed an interactive dashboard to demonstrate how many deaths could be prevented in each local authority if premature CVD death rates are successfully reduced by 25% by 2035 in Wales.

Open the dashboard

Why the next Welsh Government must act

This is not just imperative for the health of Wales; it's a public mandate. In November 2025, BHF Cymru commissioned a YouGov survey which found that only 19% of the Welsh public believe the current Welsh Government is doing enough to tackle cardiovascular disease, while 86% support the next Welsh Government adopting the 25% reduction target.